BAKED PEARS WITH VANILLA MASCARPONE

Baked Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone image

Yield serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 Anjou or Bosc pears
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup red wine
4 sprigs thyme (optional)
Vanilla Mascarpone (recipe follows)
Store-bought biscotti
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
(makes about 1 cup)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove the seeds from the bottom. Peel the upper half, leaving the stem intact; pat dry with a paper towel. Rub butter over the peeled part of each pear; stand the pears in a small baking dish (about 7 × 11 inches). Sprinkle with the sugar.
Pour the wine into the baking dish; add the thyme sprigs, if using. Bake until the pears are soft when pierced with a paring knife and well browned, about 45 minutes; using a small spoon, baste the pears occasionally with the wine, adding a bit of water as needed to prevent the liquid from evaporating. Remove from the oven.
Spoon some of the pan juices into each serving dish, and place a pear on top. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and several biscotti on the side.
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and stir together with a wooden spoon.